The Wind is Whistling
by random-randomize
Summary: Sometimes we are dreaming within our dream, like dreaming sleep when we are sleeping. Between awake and fall asleep, the bridge to both world occasionally fades and reappear on its own. And when she fall, she crash into reality she would never expect.
1. The Clock That Went Backward

_This is the downright remake of Spiral and The Woodland Ground. My Beta said to me that my writing are sometimes too vague (more bad vague than the good, downright to more confusion). She said that I have a plot clear in my mind with analytical approach (skill, whatever, do not really understand that last one). So I bring it here one more time with clarity. Originality of plot seems to be the best (for me who can be considered as new in making multi-chaptered story). My grammar is not something that I'm proud of, and I still learning it even until today. Yeah beta, you want me to work on it (All right, I understand)._

_It's 1:16 am in the morning and I am babbling (surely middle exam stress have catched up with me)._

_I do not own Naruto, no relation with Masashi Kishimoto or whatsoever. However the altered plot and lines are mine._

_Do send me feedbacks; review, mail, pm. Constructive critism (within my reach to fix) is deeply appreciated._

_Best viewed in ¾ length, top right button._

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_Enjoy,_

_-**Ein** (grumpy and need its sleep)_

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**The Wind is Whistling  
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_Prologue – __The Clock That Went Backward_

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Human have choices in their life. So many choices that it lead to so many consequences. Sometimes the lucky one (or the rightful one, not so many, sometimes) will choose the straight-accurate way. For more than once they make mistakes. More than often they regret, mourn, for the mistakes that they made. That is, for them that are not able to amend it. Amendment it seems, so similar to redemption. Humans hopes and prays, wishing that someday the world will get better for them. For the next generation, for their grandchildren, for the next grandchildren after that.

It a never-ending circle.

Life, like that have never been easy. Some prefer a long age, dying in bed, or maybe fall ill, getting old. Some others simply enjoyed whay they have, neither young neither old. Life is short. Shorter for human to hold grudges for so long without redemption. It have never been easy, seeking forgiveness that is.

The same could be said to her, to them, to this place.

For a long time (she thought) that she would be here forever, endless. Hollow, empty (just like her). She had never contemplated things like that several years ago. Oh so carefree, so bright..., _so_ foolish. She should have known the day will turn for the different sun. Perhaps tomorrow would be shinier, brighter, and perhaps, darker. The stars could gather in the sky, praying for the living. At least if they are some kind of kindred spirits, those ancestors, families, whose soul decided to stay and watch the living.

She wondered sometimes, that many prophesy were made according to their words, the stars alignment. Then maybe her parents would be up there too, watching her, laughing and making small jokes about her incessant habits. She wondered if their placid comment would include her (indirect) inherited nasty habit of daily consumption of ramen (highly unhealthy fat intake). She wondered if Yamato-taichou would tease her mercilessly about her stuck upbringing in mokuton. And she wondered, if that woman was there too, playfully teasing her mud-covered forehead to no end.

The thought made her smile, she had been here for kami knew how long.

She was a simple girl, and she still was as she grew years later. Choices, so many choice made her who she was as she grown older. If asked years back that if she wished to become what she is right now, she would downright refuse. She was a simple girl, she did not have so many wish. Sometimes, wishing are futile (you have to work for it).

She knew what she wished for, her wants, the desire so deep in her very essence.

She was a leader, first and foremost, looking upon her people. Leaders protect their family, leader love their family, and their family protect them back, loving them, protecting them from harm. Looking back now, she should have known that she was finished. She had done with it. Walking down the memory lane, glancing towards this village, she _knew_. She was done, there was nothing to protect anymore. She would have nothing in mind, as long as the will of fire kept going in their hearts. Konoha is safe. At least she had taken down most of the threats, the giant threat looming over Konoha, Suna (she smiled), Nami no Kuni. She was finished with them.

She should not have any regret. She should not. And yet, she felt the pang in the centre of her body, feeling of loss. Greater than when Sasuke was killed in the hand of Madara, when he took the killing blow that was aimed for her. Greater than when Yamato-taichou perished into ash as she and he attempted to reseal Kyuubi inside that Shinigami gate. Greater than when Naruto left her in one night, trusting Konoha in her hand. Greater than when Kakashi gone rampaging that night, screaming Rin, Obito, and Minato as his white fang shone brightly than ever; taking enemies-nin down with him.

When his last line and his chakra had mostly depleted, he made it stumbling to the three stump in our clearing out of sheer will. His battered body and messy hair oddly matched with half smile on his lips. He left his mask out in the last moment, looking strangely in peace. Kakashi-sensei crawled to her in the middle of that clearing, where team seven took their bell test. He rested his head on her lap, as she sung a song he requested that night. She watched as he slowly drifted to sleep, the one she knew he would never be awoke to for the next day, and the day after that.

Black and white images of the aloof and foul-mouthed member of her team entered her mind. Sai sat on their training ground, his lips smiled a genuine smile, he held a sketchbook with colourful pastel. On the front page was pink, decorated with blue and yellow, a hint of silver and green, and a cherry blossom signature on the side. His body had grown cold, large gash in his stomach ruined his intestine, and they both knew. He would not, could not be saved. So she sat with him, joking and laughing like they used to be, noticing that not once he called her ugly that night. They sat as he told her his dreams and future plans, leaning his head on the side, to her shoulder. For once she did not hit him, merely smiling as he hinted his last masterpiece, a map of direction to his home-studio, along with a black folder with his bloody handprint over it. So they talked until a hint of red showed in the sky, and he went silent.

No more words, and so his stilled heart (stop beating). They sat like that a little longer, as it was her turn to speak. She spoke about her training lately, of how she struggled with mokuton, and how she loved and hated her genin team at the same time. She spoke about the weekends they all spent in her apartments for nabe and cooking lesson. She spoke about the next upcoming festival they should come together sometimes. She spoke until her voice hoarse, and she had difficulty to say anymore words (she spoke to the thin air). That noon Ino found her in that hidden clearing, still leaning to Sai's cold body. She barely remembered Ino's words, or maybe Ino did not say anything after all. She remembered setting fire in that place, burning his body.

She travelled to Nami in less than one day, rented a wooden boat, and went into the middle of the ocean. She spread Sai's ash into the water, as he told her his dream to see the world the night before (and maybe he had travelled everywhere by the time she was finished). The journey home was in complete silence, as to her, as to female companion who insisted to come with her.

She barely remembered how she arrived at the gate, or how she get into her apartment, or how Ino sat with her for the entire day. The black folder laid before her, still marking the red handprint as she unsealed it. She read the entire document, every last bit of pieces in it, not missing a single word or number. Ino was sleeping on her lap, with hairs dangling at the front of her shirt. Tenths of pages later, she put it all back into the black folder. More than two hours later she sat in Hokage office as their newest mission briefing came into an end. And in less than fourteen hours the Anbu Black Ops was obliterated. Danzo had met his own demise in her hand, and his dogs was down under Ibiki's interview.

So she continued to live, as the role of Hokage was bestowed upon her. Shichidaime Hokage they said, Sakura-kun he said, as Shikamaru desk was placed beside her in that office. For once he did not complain toward paperwork. Konoha forces were slowly adapting four man cells system thus involved a combat medic as a fourth member in each cell. The new cell formation reached it maximum survival rate in no more than six months. Her role was short, as they flung into another Shinobi great war once again.

Dai-taichou Nara Shikamaru had stood beside her the entire time, leading the path of battle for years to come. Joined forces between Sound, Iwa, Grass and Akatsuki causing power imbalance in the five countries. Breach of territory and economy embargo scattered sporadically. Third Great Shinobi War had started. First Kages alliance ever made in the Shinobi world was formed between the remaining country with Konoha and Suna as its pioneer. Peace treaty and military union within the alliance were established in seventy two hours Konoha conference. Konoha elite eleven and Suna kage-nin spread out within the five shinobi nation in two man team, each carried and connected the power of alliance as advocat, market connector and military adviser. The war lasted for almost four years.

A last large-scale battle took place in the valley of the end between two forces. Akatsuki joined forces reached an impasse on the near end of the war. All sides fought ferociously, man to man, bijuu statue to Oyadama summon. Konoha elite eleven turned down to six. Tsunade and Jiraiya almost reached their limit. Not long later, one of Konoha elite was neutralized.

In that battle she remembered vividly almost everything (and nothing) as Ino fell in front of her.

_"I wish to die free, _

_beneath the cherry blossoms…"_

_"…like a hummingbird."_

_It was beautiful_, she thought. It was quick, one clean shot to the heart, just barely along the borderline of Ino's lung. She didn't need byakugan to confirm that, the pattern stuck on her mind already from numerous times She assisted Ino in her personal medical check-up. So she made it sure herself that it was quick and painless. That's what she wanted to believe when she was there.

Her hearing was blocked, she saw nothing, and she heard nothing. Her surrounding didn't matter anymore, and she found that she had knelt with Ino's body in front of her. She didn't see the battle had brought into halt due to tremendous amount of condensed chakra in the air, and all eyes turned into the unlikely source. Then there was flashlight, and she saw nothing.

And then she felt herself floating in the middle of nowhere. And then she realized that this was the end. And then she knew she was finished.

Death is such a morbid thing. Embrace it, and it will look into you with gentle face. She did not really know how to respond to that, as the hollow in her soul felt horrible. Greater, more terrible than every single loss in her life. And she found this time she was truly alone, completely and utterly alone.

_**Sleep, musume. **_

There was nothing else, and she closed her eyes, not caring if she could saw nothing in this darkness. It was just a bad dream.

Yeah, just a bad dream.

_**Goodnight. **_

_**And hello.**_

000

There was screaming as her eyes opened, adjusting to the bright light. And she found herself standing on the dusty ground, watching the worst possible and logical thing. She only stood frozen, staring disbelieve to the sight in front of her.

Her Ino was dead, she saw her herself, she saw Ino dying. She watched as Ino whispered those last words to her ears.

And Ino was standing in front of her right now. That old purple suit clung into that body like a porcelain doll. She was younger, shorter, but that blond hair, that intense eyes, that determined look; it was unmistakably matched. This was Ino, her Ino. It was not possible. It was downright horrid. Was this her punishment? Was this her afterlife? Because no way this woman was standing in front of her, albeit younger than she remembered.

This was Ino, and standing in front of her in that stance; a stance that deeply ingrained in her mind in their first chuunin exam (it supposed to be that way).

_They disappeared in the flashlight._

This was Ino, and she was here.

_The world fell into halt._

She only stood frozen, staring disbelieve to the sight in front of her.

_No, this is nightmare._

She barely made out screaming in the background. She couldn't believe it.

_Please, let me sleep. Tell me this is just a dream._

Her body didn't budge, couldn't...

_I can see her face._

...wouldn't.

_If just a moment, let me be here. _

She embraced it, the pain. And somehow, she didn't mind. She had the choice to run, but she knew she wouldn't. If this was what she had to take to see her again, then...

_So I won't regret it._

...it didn't matter. Her opponent stared shock, at her, at her face; looking down to her bloody abdomen.

_Don't let me forget._

She slowly brought her hand up, touching her opponent soft cheek. She knew she was quivering, and Ino was too. As long as she could see her face...

_Tell me this is real._

...that she saw her again, if she could feel her...

_What are you so afraid of?_

...even covered in dust and weary to the bone, it was all her. She slowly slipped into the other embrace. She held her tight.

_I found you. I found you. Don't look so sad. I won't leave you this time._

Ino was here, and somehow the hollow in her heart didn't matter anymore.

000

_The battle was brought to halt due to tremendous amount of condensed chakra in the air. All eyes turned into the unlikely source. Shichidaime of Konoha was holding the deceased Yamanaka Ino with her second in command close to her. The Shichidaime emitted humongous white-red heavy chakra which expanded further, destroying the bijuu statue and the rest of Akatsuki main members. When all red and white chakra dissipated, Shichidaime of Konoha and her second in command had vanished in the middle of the process. Within one battle, Konoha elite eleven reduced into three. _


	2. Sakura no Yuutsu: Live, alive

_Death Sword - Thank You. Although I don't really see it as an 'advanced' story as you mentioned. And your next comment startled me so much. That was a push that made me fell back from my chair as I read your review, a good fell though. Anyway, here's chapter 2.  
_

_Gaara's lament will be the next point in the next chapter, one of so many things. A bit by bit mystery unsolved, and your eyes slowly opened._

_Best viewed in 3/4 length, top right button.  
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_With gratitude,  
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_Ein_

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Problems occasionally occur in one's life, and people handle it in different ways. One can confront it directly in the face. Another choose to lure and wait, baiting for the perfect time to solve it. And sometimes, they simply run away. Just like her, just like them, just like all cowards who could not stand to face the horrible storm.

She sipped her sake, feeling strangely enacted by this revelation. Tsunade the Sannin could not, for the sake of her love of gambling, predicted what would happen that day. Not because she eternally sucked in luck. She stared a little bit longer to the translucent liquid in her mug. Ha! Guess what? This Legendary Sucker still lived and breathing until this day. At the very least she owned her own life. Her life, her rule, it was as simple as that. And if she wanted to run, that would be the savior that had led her so she still be able to breath today.

Running is always a viable option. One must be a fool to discount the opportunity. It is not necessarily bad. One can always back away, knowing when to retreat, and come back to strike. It somehow become necessary, to know one's strength, to admit defeat; and mostly, to know when to get up and walk stomping fear in the face. Yes, and sometimes running can be the most foolish thing to do. Especially when one know that the battle has not over yet.

She'd drink to that, cheering herself sober. Raising her glass and tossed to the empty air. _Kampai_, she cheered, _to myself_. She was such a fool. Tsunade glanced to the side and saw Shizune sat in boredom. The brunette was holding TonTon in a protective manner, maybe from the drunkards fool that had been fighting for awhile now at the center of this bar. In the middle of shouting and yelling, drunkards were tossing dice and old man sweeping rugs in the corner. Tables turned upside down and grueling fist fight fell in the center of Tanzaku Gai largest casino. Useless men, she rolled her eyes and back to her drink. Huh, she herself was bored, real bored that she considered to break the brawling herself. Perhaps some thrill, enjoyment adventure for the cure of of this repetitive and constant life.

Tsunade shook her head, she had too much to drink it seemed. Her shinobi career had long done. She quited, and that was that.

_**Do you, really?**_

Marvellous, and now she began hearing voices in her head.

_**I'm hurt**_, the voice now was mocking at her, _**Is it so unbelievable that you can hear me?**_

_Who are you?_

_**Do you really want to know?**_

_Yes_, Tsunade's eyebrows twitched, _unless you're some stupid hallucination and I'm going crazy_.

_**Hmm, decision, decision...**_

_Forget it_, Tsunade snapped, _just go away from me_.

_**That was quick**_, the voice replied cheerily, _**Nope. I've decided my mind**_. _It_ had mind? _**All right, where to start, where to start...**_

_Make it simple._

_**Okay then, I am you.**_

Maybe her hearing had malfunctioned. _Excuse me?_

_**You hear yourself. **_Tsunade swore she could feel the voice shrugged.

_What proof do you have?_

_**Mmm..., I'm not sure. It will be real-ly hard to process you know?**_

_Quit the riddle already. _Tsunade tapped the table surface, feeling irked at this madness. She could see Shizune stared oddly at her from the corner of her eyes.

_**Quite the impatient one for a sannin, hm?**_

_Yes, and this sannin will crush you soon. What are you? Demon? Wandering spirit?_

_**Careful woman, you only referring to yourself.**_

_You know what? Forget it and leave._

_**So sad, unfortunately I cannot do that.**_

_Why not?_

_**See? You, my lady, do not want me to leave for the first place.**_

Her eyebrows was now twitched madly. _I don't care._ _Just do your job and get it over with_. She swore she could feel the voice cheered, _cheered_.

_**As you wish.**_ And now she could feel the voice bowed mockingly at her.

It was nothing at first. She did not hear anything, as if the voice just went away somewhere. Some sort of relief washed her (previously) disturbed mind. _Huh, maybe it go away?_ Tsunade shrugged inwardly, whatever. Yes, it was nothing at first, but images slowly appeared before her very own eyes. As if she was watching black and white movie marathon, a very bad movie. The blond smashed her glass in the sudden. Her eyes wide, dilating with fear. She was shaking, hyperventilating uncontrollably; she looked down to her bloody hand. Not far from Tsunade's stool, Shizune watched her mentor with fear in her eyes.

"Tsunade...sama...what...," but Shizune's words shut down quickly, at the fire she had not seen in her mentor eyes for years.

And when the next line was said, Tsunade whispered with every single drip of venom she had in her vein, "_Stupid..._" The blonds' eyes flashed dangerously. "... _**Brat**_."

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**The Wind is Whistling**

_Sakura no Yuutsu_

"_Live, Alive"_

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_It felt like just yesterday_, thought Sakura as she floated again in the endless space. She looked at her surrounding. Only this time it was not dark, endless dungeon filled with memories. An ever ending tomorrow, she chuckled to herself. No, she could not just forget tomorrow. And now she floated in the sea of nothing. A few stolen moments, flashes of pictures in her mind was all that she had. Though she tried to resist being oddly mixed between happy and depressed at the same time, she was saving all her feelings inside. Even though she did not know if she still had the right to feel at all.

Huh, had she become this sentimental as the years go by? _I'm getting old_, she mused to herself. How long had it been? Months? Years? _I don't know, I don't really want to know._

The last thing she saw was split seconds of that face. Those long blond hair, curled in a bun. Those determined eyes, steeled like a jade. That worried look, as if lost in a morbid world. How morbid, that seemed to be the theme of her life lately, if she did live at all that is.

Sakura was exhausted, tired from all scenes and roler coaster in her whole life. It's a never ending circle, and she did not really believe in reincarnation. Second chance, third redemption, fourth amendment, fifth forgiveness; as if she deserved to have one. She scoffed in the nothingness. _But_, Sakura felt something deep within herself, the warmth she felt was not an illusion. It felt like real, painfully real. For so long she spent her life, death, in a sea of churning turns. Even in death she could not do anything, saw nothing, met no-one. And suddenly the world shifted into different reality, where she finally felt something, a real thing. Her eyes were not opened, and she could not move; but she still feel.

The pain, the smell, the look given to her; it felt real. The warmth in that hold, she really wanted to move her cursed body, opened her eyes and took a look on her surrounding; but her system simply stubborn, she could not budge from her place.

She was tired, and surrendered once again in the nothingness. Thinking nothing, feeling nothing. Nothing really matter as long the warmth engulfed her presence anyway.

_**Good afternoon, Sakura.**_

Yeah, that must be it.

000

The first thing he noticed was odd sensation in his stomach, prickling feeling on the back of his neck, and tiny seizures following on his fingers. He felt strange, he thought strange...heck, his vision was beginning to strange, to the point that he was ready to vomit his stomach inside and out. What began as tiny seizure developed into strong shakes, he was hyperventilating. _What's wrong with me?_ He stared at his hands, tiny little fingers. _When had it become smaller?_ And just like that his mind turned blank. Blank, as if his surrounding didn't matter to him anymore. Blank, that he felt like his body had just slammed into thousand carts. His eyes turned wide.

He gasped for air, something he desperately needed. He coughed uncontrollably, clutching the metal bar in front of him, desperately trying not to faint. He barely made out voices surrounding him, people surrounding him. His blurred sight caught tiny prickles of brown, crust spice below his knee. Potato chips. At first he didn't know, his mind barely registered the rush of knowledge rammed into his head. Chouji...chouji..., chouji, chouji, chouji. His eyes widen as he could see. Chouji knelt beside him, his face. Worried. No.

_Don't_. Whatever your judgment Juubi, this just not happened. He was dead. He _must_ be dead. There's no way he survived that blast. This must be illusion, a cold, sick fantasies to the land of death.

A touch on his shoulder brought him out of his reverie, he tensed out reflex. "Shikamaru? Are you feeling alright?" The voice behind him made his pale face turned translucent white. The beard man was staring down at him with concerned look. _No_, he shook his head inwardly, _I must be dreaming, this was just a __nightmare. _

Asuma was dead, long time dead. He avenged him. _I am dead_.

Chuckles followed him. "No Shikamaru, you are very much alive right now. What happened? Are you feeling tired?" Did he just voice that out loud?

"No," he barely made out the word from his dry throat.

"Here, drink this." Chouji handed him his water bottle. He looked at him, shaking his head, looking at the water bottle, shaking his head again. "You need this more than I do," Chouji gentle voice called him to look up.

"Uh..., thanks." He took it carefully, sniffed in subtlety for tracking poison, and took a sip from it; which soon turned into two, three, more, and he drunk the bottle dry. He swiped his drenched chin with the back of his hand.

"There, now." A pat on his shoulder made him looked up again, less tense than before. "It's not that hard, isn't it?" Asuma was smiling at him.

_Asuma was smiling. Asuma was smiling. Asuma was smiling_. His mind reeling. He shook his head, this was just too much to take.

"No," He barely made out his words as he sensed the familiar chakra, _two_ familiar chakras. Familiar voice, running footsteps, his eyes turned wide again, wider than before. If turning could kill, then shifting his head might just snapped his neck at that moment.

_No_, he felt cold dread in his lung. He dropped the water bottle, ready to bolt and out from his ground. He was _ready_ to leap, if not for two people holding his shoulder, preventing him to jump out of the gun.

"Shikamaru, calm down! What are you doing?!" Two simultaneous voices called him, preventing him. He couldn't care less. What was he doing? What were _they_ doing. Didn't they see what happened down there? _Let me go!_ He gritted his teeth so badly that he could feel his lips bleed.

"Let me go," His voice was thick with malice, desperation as his eyes didn't budge from the sight. "_Let. Me. Go_. She needs me."

But the grip only tightened. "Calm down Shika, we will talk. Slowly alright. Slowly." He snapped his furious gaze to his team-mate and sensei. Calm down? _Calm down? Are you fucking insane?_ He wanted to shout that out loud, but somehow the words stuck in his throat.

"No! Don't..." His warning came too late, and the stadium fell into silence.

He could feel the hold on his body lessened. Their gaze was not at him anymore, no, but to something behind, far behind. _Down there, _the pit hole in his stomach deepened. He quickly released their clutch, shunshin-ed away to the middle ground. And then he saw them, in the opposite hold unlike the last time. So unlike that it made him sick to his stomach. Was he too late? Was this too late? This, the salvation he was waiting for? Another familiar presence made him jolt out of his thought. The figure walked slowly, the footsteps made their way to him.

A hand on his shoulder, he didn't need to look back to know who he is. "She is not dead yet," the voice was merely above whisper, "Alive, but barely. We have to move. _Fast_." And fast they did, firm footsteps to the body in the blonds' hold.

000

_One more time, one last time_, she kept telling herself. The time to prove her worth, the perfect smile on those lips, that precious touch on her hand. She only needed one chance, one more try to make the rosette looked at her, really looked at her. The cold metal in her grip felt surreal, and so the warm liquid covering her arms. She couldn't believe it. Wasn't this what she had been searching for? And she had found it. She succeeded, and she felt like crying. She had succeeded, but not like this. This wasn't what she wanted.

She won, and a blond felt like crying.

She could not believe it, she had won, but at what cost? She could hear her own beating heart, the slowly ticking tingle on the back of her neck. She was on the ground, crossing her legs with the rosette in her arms. Sakura didn't dodge in the last moment, as if the rosette was paralysed by some kind of genjutsu. She didn't. And as Ino ran toward her with kunai in her hand, Sakura was so still. Sakura still was even until the kunai had buried in her abdomen. Sakura still was as Ino stared dumbstruck at Sakura's perplexed face. It was as if the rosette didn't know how to respond at all, as if Sakura just met her for the first time. Sakura just met her, and didn't mind at all knowing she was going to be killed.

It was hard to breathe for Ino, her gaze was vacant. It felt like dream, unreal. The soft touch on her cheek was not real. The smile the rosette gave her was not real. The body in Ino's hold was not real. Ino wanted to shout at her. What are you doing! What's so funny! But the body wouldn't respond even if she did that. Never in her jog of memory had Ino felt so at loss, so...defeated.

She was prepared with her all. One strike, one move, one blasting chance to finish their rivalry. This is my all. This is me. This is all me of standing before you. Can you see me? Can you feel me? Can you now acknowledge me? Can you now see that I'm not looking at your back anymore? Can you see my face?

She did, Sakura did, but not the way Ino expected her to. If anything there was no sick satisfaction in Sakura's expression, anything but triumphant and victory. It was as if Sakura was relieved to see her, just by looking at her face, just by holding her tight.

Ino felt like crying just then, but her tears wouldn't come out. She killed her precious friend, and she had never feel so alone. What good was victory if she couldn't save her best friend? What good was proud for her jutsu if Sakura couldn't hear it by the time the sun went down the horizon? All it left her was an empty feeling.

Ino didn't hear footsteps down to her place. And she did not care if her hearing had malfunctioned. Her hand caressed Sakura's pink locks, the side of rosette face. Her face was so peaceful, like the rosette just went asleep. Maybe Sakura would wake up tomorrow and had their daily dose of banter again. Perhaps their rivalry would end tomorrow and they could train together. Perhaps they would be jounin together in time. _Everything will be fine, and Sakura will get her portion of scolding tomorrow_, she kept telling herself that.

She felt nothing, she heard nothing, and she saw nothing. Everything else didn't matter.

"It will be alright, she will wake up tomorrow," her words were barely above a whispered hush. Assurance, which she needed a lot. "She will get a lot of yelling tomorrow."

She shouldn't feel anything, and the hand on her shoulder was not an exception.

"Ino, listen to me. She is stronger than you think, you didn't kill her." A whispering words to her ear didn't faze her in the least.

"Maybe she will want to train together after this is over. We can have training trip together. Maybe to wave?" The words were repeated over and again, like a broken tape. Ino still holding on the still body, never let go.

"Ino..." The voice stricken. "...Ino, Sakura needs you." The voice was so persistent, but it as if Ino didn't hear it.

"Maybe Asuma-sensei will ask Kurenai-sensei to teach you. Don't worry, she's so adept in genjutsu. You adept in chakra control. Don't you, Sakura?" Ino wore a soft smile, still caressing the rosette pink locks. "You will be okay."

"Sakura is dying, Ino."

The voice made her halted in her tracks, she continued her whispers, "You will be fine, Sakura. You hear me?" Although her voice sounded less sure this time.

"Her death is assured..." but Ino didn't hear the rest of it, the words stuck in her mind like glue.

_Her death is assured. Her death is assured. Her death is assured_. No, no way.

No. Fucking. Way.

She finally snapped and whirled around. She didn't care if it was the death god himself, she would not accept it so easily. And she yelled toward the redhead with black kanji of 'love' on his forehead. "_**Shut. Up**__._" Ino was seething. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!! She _is_ _**fine**_!! Ino pointed her thumb on Sakura's still body. "_J_ust who the hell you are? _Sakura. Is. Fine.__**YOU HEAR ME!!**_ She heaved, breathing heavily, staring daggers at the redhead with every word came out of her lips. She couldn't believe it, and the Suna redhead something dare to smile at her too.

The redhead was still smiling as he spoke the next sentence that made her stop dead in her tracks.

"I said, her death is assured; _unless,_ she are not to receive medical attention," said the redhead, "Sakura-chi is very strong, you see. She just need your help and soon."

Ino really wanted to reply that statement with something, anything, but the word that able to slip out of her lips was a dumb, "Huh?"

"Gaara is right, Ino." And she turned around to find Shikamaru staring down at her with mix amusement and boredom. It was as if this was a bad soap opera or something.

"What? Shika?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "You heard him."

"How do you know?" Ino's eyes narrowed, her eyes challenging. Shikamaru only fixed a direct stare, an assured look to her.

"I trust him," Shikamaru said.

Ino merely looked at him. Trust is something rare in their world filled with deception and lies. For the lazy genius to trust someone she barely knew, _they_ barely knew, was something to be weigh in. Shikamaru didn't trust easily, and for him to trust this stranger was something. And Ino trust Shikamaru. They were running out of time if what the redhead said was true. So she gave a final nod. "What do I suppose to do?"

"I can smell her chakra," the redhead said, he put his palm on the blonds' hand "Feel it with your body."

000

Her chakra flailed dangerously around her body, effectively stopping the fight in immediate silence. The uncaring glances had turned into fear as her step created crack on the floor. She didn't care either way.

The bartender stared scare, his opened lips closed suddenly at his patron behaviour.

She was furious; her electric chakra destroyed everything in her way, sending destruction to obstacles in her path. Wood turned to briskets, rock dispersed into dust, and metals melted into clay of burnt liquid. Her eyes screamed fury for everyone who dared to look to her. All scurried away, giving her street to walk on, away from her wrath. No one dared to mess with rampaging sannin in her highest.

"_Moron, troublesome, brat._" Her words never rise above whisper, and it made her more dangerous. "_How dare she?_" She seethed her teeth, gritting harshly that it drew blood in her mouth wall.

"Tsunade...sama?" Shizune was now frightened, looking at her mentor carefully, not wanting to anger her anymore, no matter what her problem is. She yelped at the fast snapped look thrown at her, and more to the throwing object that embedded deeply into the wall behind her. A kunai deeply stabbed into the wooden liquor rack, scaring the bartender to death, on the handle stack of bill hung limp.

Shizune didn't say anything, merely following her mentor with cautious step outside. Her heart thumping in her chest. _What's wrong?_ She afraid of voicing her thought. Her eyes fixed on the hanging green cotton on her mentor shoulder, staring at her straight furious back spine.

"Shizune." She looked up slowly, to the gradually calming sannin, but still had intense look in those eyes. "We're leaving."

"Huh?" She stared oddly at her mentor.

"We have business to attend." Tsunade didn't leave any room for argument, and Shizune didn't dare to speak any further. They arrived at bare land. She watched her mentor knelt down, biting her finger with less care than necessary and drew seal on the ground. Not much later a large poof surfaced on the ground, revealing giant slug and a large scroll hung in the mid air. She stared openly, her mouth wide open.

"Katsuyu," Tsunade didn't bother with pleasantries at that moment, "bring Gamabunta here."

"Tsunade-hime, what made you troubled so?" The giant slug peered down to the blond woman.

Her scowl surfaced, deeper than before. "My baka apprentice, what else? She just had to complicate things, had she not?"

The slug looked at Shizune, who shifted uncomfortably at her feet.

"No." Tsunade snapped. "The other one, you know it."

If it possible for invertebrates to smile, then Katsuyu had already grinned in mirth. "She made it then I presume." The deep voice resounded in the clearing.

"Yes." Tsunade firmly answered. "Now, skip this chit chat. We will discuss it _later_. And I need to get there as fast as possible."

Shizune nodded with her ability to do so, looking back and forth to the princess and the slug.

"Your wish is my command."

And with that, Katsuyu bowed low.


	3. The Rubber Theorem

_All right, many thanks to Death sword (my loyal reviewer for my works) and Tear Here. Reviewers are aphrodiacs, really, literally. Your comments and insight means a lot to me. With this I present all readers of 'The wind is Whistling', chapter three: Interference Pattern - "The Rubber Theorem"._

Tww means a lot to me, as spiral will be forever in my heart, its plot, and imagination.

Gaara's centric might be have to be waited several chapters after.

Best viewed in 3/4 length, upper right corner button.

My life had literally turned upside down. And many headache and confusion. Say, what should we choose? To do what we have to do, or to do what we think is right? Being adult is surely hard, filled with so many obligation and consideration. The path we choose, the way we do things, the effect it would have to our surroundings and finally, ourselves. Writing fanfiction is one of pain reliever I had in these chaotic moments.

Yours trully,

Ein.

* * *

Old man Sarutobi frowned at the piece of parchment in his hand. Mind you, Sarutobi the professor rarely frowned or reacted at things. It was as if nothing could startled him anymore. Say that Orochimaru suddenly appeared in his office to have a small chat with him while drinking tea, he would happily oblige to that and sat almost pleasantly with almost zero animosity. But this -he flipped the parchment forward and back, making sure his eyesight still working in place- was just weird, downright horrid.

It was a parchment, not a piece of paper. It was signed in blood, not an ordinary ink. It was from Jiraiya, not from Raikage whatsoever. It was a demand in order, not an announcement of the latest IchaIcha production line (which Sarutobi secretly funded – he was the largest shareholder). And more importantly, the content of message began to set him off. Sarutobi read the lines for the twentieth times -making sure that he had not gone blind- and rolled the papyrus-base paper, tapping his chin thoughtfully and peered from the corner of his eyes. His brunette female assistant stood nervously near him, glancing at the stadium once in a while.

Sarutobi let a small smile through, remembering the event in this early morning.

_The year 00462 in Konoha was signalized with some remarkable discoveries by Sandaime, The Great Professor of Leaf Village. Mysterious yet agitating phenomenon which brought his beard fell after all his careful attempt of putting a tiny amount of transparent thick liquid on little white hair he had underneath his chin. He could not…____would not__, imagine how his well treated masculine chin looked like after this._

_Like all of his predecessors and successor, this Sandaime had several names. One among others had been mentioned - The Great Professor. Yes, the meaning was quite clear from there. Quite literally, he did not held the name without reasonable reason. As a shinobi, Sandaime was known as Sarutobi or Professor Sarutobi. Not because he sat on a white chair and white desk experimenting something for greater good of humanity in his lab coat like a common non-shinobi with almost none to zero knowledge of shinobi could imagine. No. Sandaime of Konoha was known as a professor of thousand jutsu, genius leader that lead Konoha to a peaceful era with indefinite amount of arsenal under his sleeve. In some sense, he ____did__ bring a good future for Konoha humanity._

_Perhaps that was why Konoha population held him in high regard._

_Konoha, a hidden village in Hi no Kuni. Located strategically and exactly in the very center of Hi no Kuni itself. Bordering eight other lands: four unexplored -yet- lands, two potential lands of threat and two potential lands of ally. Among the other four great countries and shinobi nations, Konoha itself owned its own fairy tale and stories before children went to a fitful slumber. _

_Sautobi had a tepid temper in check. As a known 'father of Konoha', he did not have much choice after all. He could be cruel if necessary, critically kind in general, and exasperated in front of paperwork most of the times. When he gazed down with mixed curiosity to the cream bottle in his hand thus his face exploited various emotion of the three. Sarutobi wondered then why he was not screaming nonsense right here and now, he thanked his inner cursing later on. As worried he was for less masculine beard he had now, he could not ignore the rapid knock on his door._

"_Come in Yoshi-kun," his calm demeanour betrayed the irritated tone in his voice. A chromatic haired young woman in her twenties entered the Hokage office in stoic manner, but Sarutobi knew better, there was trepidation in her footsteps._

"_Hokage-sama," Yoshioka bowed before him. _

_One hundred and sixty five centimetres tall (taller than him) brunette, Hyuuga Yoshioka, with common pale complexion. A bright young Hyuuga with calculated look and clumsy appearance. Sarutobi liked her at first sight, ignoring 'underneath the underneath' shinobi golden rule when he chose the young woman (who fell face first on a hard ground while reading medical book upside down on a tree branch) as his assistant in less than ten seconds._

_Sarutobi gave the last swipe to his chin, careful not to drop a single hair before reached his tobacco pipe and turned all business._

"_Hokage-sama, Morino Ibiki wished to see you," said Yoshioka with straight face._

"_Bring him in then," Sarutobi lit up the end of the pipe and took a long drag, trying to calm his nerves._

"_Ano_…_, actually he requested you to meet him in designated place."_

"_Did he tell something other beforehand?"_

"_No, Hokage-sama. Morino-san words were exactly 'Tell Hokage-sama we have hat paint delivery barred southward before sundown'. I was on the way from Naruto-kun apartment and Morino-san met me on Konoha library rooftop. I shunshin-ed the rest of the trip to this place"_

_Sarutobi almost non-existent white eyebrow rose at that, "That's an Anbu B emergency code."_

_Yoshioka managed to look a little meek at Sarutobi nonchalant tone._

"_Ibiki stated an emergency breach occurred and he needed high supervision above Anbu in instance inside Konoha border not more than four kilometres radius between evening and afternoon degree location according the sundial clock," continued Sarutobi._

"_Ano…," Yoshioka was fidgeting quite uncomfortably._

"_Considering the distance between Konoha library and this tower, you made in in less than forty seconds with shunshin to this office."_

_Yoshioka did not say anything for that, her posture became rigid as bullets of sweat ran along her cheek under Sarutobi scrutinizing gaze._

"_And knowing the nature of the message, as my memory serves right, you just stated here as an assistant in less than three months. Helping me doing…., paperwork," He remarked the last bit detail dryly as he shifted his glance away from the overgrowing white stack of papers on his desk._

_Sarutobi took another long drag as he took a detail look of Yoshioka mid-panic face in amusement. Yoshioka looked like she was going to dig a deep hole and hibernated for a long time if she got the chance. He inwardly managed a lopsided grin in his odd taste of teasing his assistant. Really, he could not help it. Having Yoshioka as his assistant was like having a granddaughter version of Konohamaru with a bit spice of Moegi attitude. He resisted a chuckle as he watched Yoshioka habit of twiddling her finger against the tip of her green vest in anxiousness._

_Hyuuga Yoshioka, mediocre (according to her mostly) chuunin in her twenties could not help but felt like she was going to spend the rest of her life in Konoha deepest prison chamber with little to zero possibilities to escape. She herself was surprised that her body did not react more than a tiny jerk as Hokage-sama rose from his chair and made his way to hers._

"_I'm quite impressed, child," said Sarutobi in half smile as he ruffled Yoshioka hair in attempt to diffuse the tension, "It was not like I did not know your sneak access to restricted archive though. You sure you did not want to try be a special jounin and join Anbu? I'm quite sure Nara Shikato has his hand full, he will not mind additional help in his division." Though, he had to stand on his toenail for his palm to reach her head._

_Yoshioka gave a relief smile despite the nagging feeling in the back of her mind toward the oddity of situation, she merely shrugged it off as her adrenaline rush went down. "Not quite, Sarutobi____-ojiisan__. I know I'm quite content to where I am."_

"_You know or you think you know?"_

_Yoshioka's eyes twinkled. She could not help but feel like she only needed a half moon glass to make a parody of this conversation._

_They managed it halfway along the corridor (Sarutobi insisted that they should not jump through ____the__ window and used the door at once) when Sarutobi halted in his track in which Yoshioka followed as he unconsciously stroke his beard in thinking pose._

"_By the way, Yoshioka. Remember the all-goes-treatment cream you offered me yesterday?"_

"_Ahh…, the one from Hyuuga Shampoo treatment branch secret recipe?" Yoshioka brightened, "It created an uproar in the main house just this morning, Hokage-sama."_

_Sarutobi blinked._

"_A few elder from the main house demanded the creator of that all-goes-cream from the branch house to be given a main house special privilege from his marvellous creation. It worked well, because the new product increase the hair strength and kept pH in hair stable," said Yoshioka, "The recipe was almost leaked to Konoha market apparently, and the main house did not want it happened did they?"_

_So it was not for its power in balding people off? Sarutobi still stroke his thinning beard unconsciously._

Yoshi-kun shifted nervously on her feet as her boss stared at her thoughtfully (she could hear the grinding gear in the old man's head). While her gaze was fixed to the centre ground in that stadium, looking at the quartet (two kneeling-sitting, while the other two standing) and Genma sulked in the corner; Hyuuga Yoshioka tried her best to remain still in her standing posture.

Normally medic should come soon after the match (and the drama) pronounced over. So her interest soon averted to the entertainment down there, and her worry (of boss Sarutobi sacked her off) soon forgotten.

**0000000**

**0000000000000000000000000000000000**

**The Wind is Whistling**

_Interference Pattern_

"_The Rubber Theorem"_

**0000000000000000000000000000000000**

**0000000**

It was sunny day in the middle of nowhere and a blond woman (who looked like) in her middle age tapped impatiently on the hard ground. She was waiting for boss toad to appear in that clearing. Not far from her a brunette was sitting silently on a boulder. The brunette gave a look on her surrounding while giving a glance to the blond once in a while. Her twiddling finger and occasional glance clearly stated that she was nervous. Shizune was nervous without no apparent reason. She also waited for the boss toad, Gamabunta, to arrive. She was afraid of what might come from her mentor more than anything if Gamabunta did not come after all. The tirade Tsunade showed earlier only brought her nervous level increased further.

A lot of things ran in Shizune's mind. Bored might be one of it, the least of it anyway. Right now her main concern was to her mentor who still was tapping on the ground with one foot. Shizune wondered what was going in the blond's mind. Her sudden anger, her (their) sudden departure, Katsuyu sudden appearance; it did not make sense. And who was the apprentice Tsunade mentioned anyway? Even if she outwardly (cowardly) silent and accepted thing as they goes, it did not mean that she quickly agreed to it. Shizune by any means was not jealous. Oh no. If Tsunade had met someone else before her that is, then it was not for her business to interfere. Though, the tone in Tsunade's voice when speaking of her or whoever it was showed no malice at all. Tsunade was angry, still was, yes, but it resembled more to an anger that parents had when their child did something foolish and went out of line. Something...dangerous, maybe? Shizune shook her head. It was not in her interest and knowledge to know. Tsunade would tell her herself if she felt like it. Not now, now was not the time.

There was something in Tsunade's eyes that intrigued her, some fire Shizune had not seen for a long time, not since Dan died long ago. Shizune let out a bitter smile, the memories of her gentle uncle always brought her into solemn mood. It saddened her, and Shizune knew that Tsunade was more devastated than her. Dan was the starting point of everything, and ended almost everything. _Almost everything_, Shizune mused inwardly. Good thing that Tsunade had not attempted suicide for that. Her mentor was a wreck for a long time, and Shizune did not know what made the blond survived until this very day.

Shizune's musing was interrupted as large white smoke surfaced between she and her mentor.

"OY OLD LADY! WHAT THE HECK IS THIS ABOUT!!"

_Great_, Shizune face-palmed.

000

_Visualize_.

...nothing. She remembered Iruka sensei words from the Academy days.

_Picture the moving river in your body. Smooth. Unrestrained. Pull, and push. Breathe. From you forehead, to your chin, to your lung, heart, veins, spines. Relax. Control. Feel it._

She waited longer. _Sakura, can you feel me?_ The blond closed her eyes, concentrating in pure energy, searching for the weak stream in the pink-haired vein. It was a slow process for her, and she finally found it. Weak, but there was pulse. She opened her eyes slowly, finding two set of eyes staring at her.

"Well?" Shikamaru spoke first, his tone calm. She barely nodded, confirming the redhead statement. All he wanted was to assure his team-mate sanity. He could not stand seeing her with those dead eyes. At least now there was some spark in it. A hope she desperately clutched, and so did he. He turned to look at the redhead, feeling confused and dread at the same time. Just then he realized of whom he was with. This was Gaara, demon of the sand. Younger, but still as deadly as he was in later years, much later.

"We have to move them," Gaara's low alto voice spoke to him. Shikamaru raised one of his eyebrow. _Them?_ And then the redhead finger pointed at Ino and Sakura joined hand. _See it?_ The undercurrent line talked to him.

Sure it was, he could make out the thin chakra line formed at their joined hands. "Oh shit." Shikamaru pinched the bridge of his nose. The dread feeling he tasted before turned into annoyance.

"Move! Move aside!" The blurry white made its presence to them in the middle ground. Guess the medic team was slower than they ought to be. They lifted Sakura on the stretcher. They attempted to carry her as gentle as possible, as fast as they could. Just exactly as Ino was dragged with them, the joined hands stuck like super glue with giant strength. One of the medic attempted to separate them, but their hands would not budge in a slight.

"No, don't do that! You will only-"

The medic decided to ignore his warning, and use his own chakra to separate their hand. Just as his chakra touched the layer, electric blue shot out of their joined limb, sending rough current to the medic hand. Moved to his shoulder, up, down, until his entire body stood upright and he abruptly released his hand, standing several metres away. His white hat gone, revealing his standing crispy hair.

...get...electrocuted...," Shikamaru barely finished his words, staring agog at the sight. Foolish men, why nobody ever listen. He scratched the bottom of his chin, staring amused at the scene thoughtfully.

Just as he was to say something, more figure poofed beside him. "Naruto?" The blond looked stressed, how Naruto late arrival or the strained panicked face made the blond looked less goofy, he didn't know.

"Shikamaru, how is she?" Naruto was calm, too calm for this type of situation. A situation regarding his _precious_ team-mate.

"She's fine. Nothing life threatening." He turned staring at the limp figure on the stretcher. "She is strong, too stubborn to die. Like a cockroach." Somehow Shikamaru could feel the pink-haired other hand twitched at that remark. "Naruto..."

The spiky blond shook his head. "I'm not mad Shika. Just...worried, you know. I'm not mad at Ino too."

"Very well."

Naruto turned at the redhead.

"YOU! What are _you_ doing here?" He pointed his finger to Gaara. Naruto was soon turned as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked determined, asking an explanation Shikamaru could give.

"He means no harm, relax." Shikamaru shook his head. "He didn't do anything threatening to Sakura and Ino, did he?" The blond was seething, and Shikamaru patted the golden hair in fatherly manner. "Relax, nothing will happen."

Gaara gave a firm nod. "Sakura-chi is too strong to die," the redhead added his two cents.

"Yeah, about that..." Shikamaru was back to scratch the bottom of his chin, and pointed two medic in front of him. "You and you, come here!"

They shared a confuse look, but walked toward him anyway.

"Listen to me," he began to talk, "you see what happened with that idiot over there?"

They nodded in affirmation.

"You knew what happened if you do that stupid tryout, the _consequences_?"

They nodded rapidly.

"Then do _this," _He glared at them with 'don't fuck with me' look, "You heal her, them, both; in the same time. Do you understand me?"

They nodded simultaneously.

"Good. Do not, I repeat, do not try to do that stupid try again; not before Sakura wake up. Either you will get removed from your quarter, or you will die trying."

They understandably turned pale at the ultimatum.

"Alright... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? PATIENT LIFE IS ON YOUR HAND! LEAVE!! LEAVE!! DO YOUR JOB!!"

They scurried away in fear, not before taking the girls with them, gentle-ly that is.

Shikamaru glared at them at the umpteenth time and wiped beads of perspiration on his cheek. "Fucking hell. Just...fucking hell..."

"Understandably so." Gaara nodded in confirmation.

"Yeah...," Shikamaru drawled off, staring trouble to the clouds in the sky. He stared to the redhead, who stared to the spiky blond. "Wanna get a drink?"

"Sake?" Gaara suggested.

Shikamaru scrunched his eyebrows, and shook his head. "Never too old to kill, never too old to drink."

"Understandably so." Gaara nodded as he followed Shikamaru out of the middle ground, leaving the stunned silence behind them.

Genma had long dropped the senbon he chewed. How he didn't choke from that, Naruto would never know.

"Winner..." Genma croaked, "Yamanaka Ino."

000

"What was that about?" A painted faced boy like kabuki doll asked from the upper stand. His jaw had long dropped to the floor.

Temari stared unblinking to the now empty centre of the stadium. "How should I know?" And she yawned.

000

Their walk on the empty hallway was filled with silence. One could hear a pin drop with a loud clang perfectly if it landed on the stony floor. The awkward silence was broken with Shikamaru's statement.

"You called her Sakura-chi." An obvious one.

Gaara chuckled. "Good to have you back, Dai taichou-dono."

Shikamaru grunted, which his smile betrayed his expression at that moment. "How troublesome," he said with added annoyance.

"Understandably so," the redhead replied. Gaara's smile had not disappeared from his face, then he blinked. "Shusaku said hello."

"Ah..., of course, of course. Send my regard to that oversized racoon too, will you?"

Gaara paused and then said, "He said, 'Of course, foolish skinless monkey.' "

Shikamaru grinned and his face turned all business. "So..."

"Yes...," Gaara prolonged his drawl.

"We have a lot of things to do."

Gaara snorted. "Understandably so, captain obvious."

Shikamaru sighed. "Stop mimicking me, Kazekage-sama."

Gaara whistled uncharacteristically and spoke with jovial smile, "What shall we exterminate first?"

"A certain traitor." Shikamaru's smile was hidden behind dark shadow.

Gaara chuckled as they strolled out of that building. A ring he wore so similar with one Shikamaru wore on his finger glowed green.

000

"I trust that you will behave when you arrive there, Tsunade-chan?"

Tsunade's frown was imminent in the day light. Trust her luck, her ears had been bleeding from Jiraiya's continuous rant. She did not know which was worse; the dizzy spell from continuous Gamabunta jumps, or Jiraiya's never-ending babbling. Her mood only worsened.

"Will you shut up?" Tsunade snapped her neck to the side, more irritated at the Toad Sage's grin.

"But, but, Tsunade-chan...," Jiraiya whined, wearing innocent face, "This supposed to be a joyful trip."

Meanwhile Shizune watched the whole ordeal from the back. She honestly failed to perceive which part of this journey to be called joyful. Tsunade's irrate behaviour and Jiraiya's child-like behaviour did not match, obviously. She sighed at the duo and watched the sky in boredom.

'The sky is blue...

'Nothing too dark...

'My mood had gone melt...

Shizune stared at the chakra written words in the thin air she just made and blinked. She shook her head. She really needed to get a life.

"So, Tsunade-chan," Jiraiya whispered, "I was doing my research," Tsunade twitched, "when suddenly an inspiration hit me in the head and made me wrote a poem for you. Would you like to hear it?"

"No."

"Okay." Jiraiya nodded. "Here it is," he continued, ignoring the blonds' irritation.

"_The red moon is falling..._

"_Warrant had been sent..._

"_The seventh gathered four others..._

_...And the wheel will turn against time."_

Tsunade fell into silence as she stared to the distance. "Baka," she said after awhile, smiling, "why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Who are you fooling?"

Hokage monument could be seen clearly from thereon.


	4. Absolute Zero

I thought I knew her better than anyone in the world. I thought this was not how things supposed to end. I thought I would stand beside her when everything collapsed. I thought we would start things anew after this war. In the end, I had it all wrong.

The sterile air greeted me as I breathed. The familiar scent of sickening hospital. Disinfectant. I hated it. I still do. Perhaps I would never get used to it no matter how long I used to be here.

"_Chief Haruno, we require your assistance immediately."_

"_Chief Haruno, there is something wrong with the stat."_

"_Chief Haruno, we need you in sixth emergency chamber."_

I breathed the stale hospital air. At least it was familiar, a constant in my life.

My eyes opened slowly at the lulled conversation. Familiar voices. I knew, or so I thought, the one I recognized. A pang of regret. A tint of heartache.

_**Welcome to the land of living.**_

_Shut it._

The chuckle was no stranger anymore; the one that had entered my life for the past years ever since I could remember.

_**Quirky much?**_

I scowled. My muscle face ought to be tense since I was having difficulty to form a single word. How long I was here again? It did not feel like the nowhere land anymore.

_**Open your eyes.**_

_I said, shut it._

_**Look around.**_

_Why?_

_**Do not be stubborn, child.**_

Meh…, and here furry bunny speaking.

_**It will not hurt you, you know?**_

_Shut it._

My eyes opened, iris adjusting to the lights.

A man was smiling at me. "Sakura-chan, how are you feeling?" He said.

No fucking way.

"You're dead."

The ghost of Jiraiya was still smiling.

**0000000**

**0000000000000000000000000000000000**

**The Wind is Whistling**

**Absolute Zero**

**0000000000000000000000000000000000**

**0000000**

**42 minutes earlier.**

**Chamber 66.**

**Patient: Haruno Sakura. **

**-**

The sun chirped peacefully in the sky. Birds shone beautifully at the whistling clouds. And Santa Claus sung merrily, riding a bunch of exhausted reindeers who grunted at their owner's mistreatment.

While then, a group of strange people with equally strange clothes popped suddenly in the high sky, and started falling to the ground with medium plus accelerated speed.

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU STUPID USELESS WIZARD!!"

"But, but...., Kuro-piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!"

"AND STOP CALLING ME KURO KURO SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Err..., Syaoran-kun, shouldn't we stop them?" Asked a nervous brown haired girl.

The mentioned boy (who secretly despised to be called 'boy') sighed in exasperation. "Who the hell care about them anyway?" He wished he got wings, but the ground only got closer and closer...

And apparently this occured in far far land (a thousand seven hundred and thirty miles from Konoha), which had no connection with this story after all.

The weather was just fine.

BOOM!

"_Nooooooooooooooooooo!_ Baka Yuta!!! Don't you suddenly release your chakra like _that!_"

A little bit warm, perhaps.

"Yuki-chan, if I die...., will you have a date with me?"

A pregnant pause, and then...

"**No.**"

"Yuki-chan, how cruel......" _Yuta_ collapsed in agony. Yuki sent her prayer and finished his un-finished job.

A tepid check in temperature showed a clear twenty seven Celsius in a room with white coloured wallpaper.

_Honestly, what the use of wallpaper if they just painted it with __nothing__?_ A blond grumbled inwardly as the last medic left the room with relieved sigh. One pulled the leg of the other medic who still had burn in his crispy-electrocuted hair. _Sakura_, her sight soon averted to the pink haired girl who slept almost peacefully on the patient's bed.

"Wake. Up. You. _Foooooooooooooll_!" Ino shook Sakura's gown collar back and forth. Ino kept shifting between sobbing and scowling. She didn't know what's wrong with her; between relieved, happy, sad, mad, or...., she might just had gone insane from dropping back from hell and back to the cruel earth.

She was relieved that Sakura was fine, that they were supposed to be fine.

She was happy that nothing happened to her precious Sakura...., _hers_.

She was mad because Sakura made her worried over nothing, except the wound that was caused by _her_.

She was confused because _she_ had just to think these unnecessary things.

And _she_ felt stupid from banging her forehead against the bed, which she thankful for it didn't hurt.

There was knocking which she assumed as her further hallucination.

"Go ahead, say something, what else that I did was stupid?" Ino muttered.

There was shifted of wooden sandal against the floor. "Err..., no. Except if you still want to continue your monologue."

Ino turned her head to the side. "Kakashi-sensei? Are you some imagination from my head too?"

"I don't think so," Kakashi scratched the back of his neck, "but I can come back later if you're still busy."

"No, it's okay," came Ino fast response, "You can come in. She is your student after all."

"How is she?" Kakashi asked without another preamble.

"As you see it," Ino answered, too tired to give further complex details.

Kakashi only nodded in affirmation. He walked toward bed where Sakura was and watched her. Soft breathing Sakura made, stray pink locks strayed across her forehead, all little things that formed a kunoichi that was his student. Kakashi gently shifted her pink hairs to the side, took a damp cloth from nearby basin on the table and wiped perspiration on Sakura's face, chin, neck, her hands. The dust and sweat soon gone and he sat on the bedside table, and Kakashi looked at the duo, really looked at them. The way Ino's eyes closed slowly, but not letting them closed completely, watching out for Sakura. Ino's folded hand; she released it and took Sakura's hand with her, as if she was checking if Sakura's pulse was still there.

Kakashi smiled.

Kakashi was just came back from the main arena, hearing his female student being escorted to the medic wing with Ino. Checking after Sasuke and taking care few things that was Kabuto and Orochimaru and he went straight to Sakura's room, fearing for his last student life. Even if Sasuke was Orochimaru's main priority at the moment, there was no guarantee that his female student also safe from the snake sannin clutch.

Now, seeing them both here, being together like this, Kakashi thought that he did not have to worry that much. At the very least, Ino would protect her from harm long enough before a needed help arrived. His worry was based well enough, and his relief was now laid before his eyes.

_You have a good friend_, Kakashi's lips made an upward curve as he watched Sakura breathed in and out.

"Kakashi-sensei." Ino's voice snapped him out of his train of thought. He looked at the blond. Black lines below her eyes was visible, marking Ino's exhaustion. "Is she going to be alright?" A question Ino debated within herself.

Ino knew that once medics had gone from that room that neon green sign switched on, there was no more danger to Sakura. That was the fact, but she kept having doubt about herself. She was the one who caused Sakura to be here, she was the one who stayed with her the entire time, watching Sakura being tended carefully by people in white garbs while she was sitting on the sideline. Sakura was fine, going to be fine, and part of her kept telling to stay, if anything happened to Sakura...

Kakashi patted the blond's, his eyes crinkled in smile.

"It's okay," Kakashi said. "The only pink haired genin I know is not going to die just by a simple wound."

"Huh?"

"I heard the story," Kakashi said, "If anything, she is going to be pissed...., _a lot_. From defeated by you."

Ino smiled. "Yeah." She turned her gaze toward Sakura and spoke almost inaudibly to Sakura's ear, "Hear that? You're going to be okay, forehead."

"I'll be back soon after the match is over. Wait for me?" Ino said, caressing Sakura's pink locks and kissed her temple, a gesture that made Kakashi's eyebrow rose a notch.

"Kakashi-sensei."

"Hmm?"

Ino hugged him.

"Thank you."

Is Kakashi was startled, he didn't show it. He hugged her back.

"Hmm."

**000**

_Naruto Artistry of BullshittingTM._

_Never averted your eyes from your opponent. No matter how your feeling and emotion inside, keep it in check. (And that's why Shinobi Handbook s.25 state: Shinobi must not wear emotion on the sleeve) _

_Keep your poker face on the front and never mess with the rule. Taunting and torturing are important in attempt to keep your foe under your feet. Trick them into your game play is a must, flee from the scene afterward if you must. There is no win-win situation in negotiation with traitor and enemy, exterminate them. Hit first, question later. _

_Keep smiling, attack when the time is right. Keep calm, find loopholes in your opponent movement. _

_Look for opportunities._

**000**

**55 minutes forward.**

**Chamber 66.**

**Patient: Haruno Sakura. **

-

Emotional baggage.

That would be the correct phrase for what she had right at the moment.

She did not have time for games or mind tricks. She did not have time to play innocent and good little kunoichi liked she supposed to be. She did not own a cherry wonderful smile at the moment. Blank impenetrable mask like clouds surrounding her very core. Deep, deep, inside that one had to dig so far to find the truth of her heart.

Disgusting.

It was too much for her. And she hated everything in the moment. Everything, every second, everyone, including herself. She despised them all.

_**How do you know that you have done what you have to do or what you think is right?**_

How revolting.

She stared down at her milky hand. White, creamy, no callousness as she remembered before then. She also despised her hand.

Stupid, lumpy thing. _Useless, damnit._

And then she glared at her hand. If a hand could speak, then it would have died instantly from the loss of vocal chord. She frowned deeply. She really wanted to bash her skull to the wall afterward. Made it double.

"We need to talk, _**brat**_."

Made it triple.

_Ah shishou, how nice to see __**you**__._

"Hello, how can I help you?" Sakura greeted disinterestedly, still staring down at her fully five fingers. Did she mention how she wanted to puke at the floor? Nope, no time to contemplate things quite apparently. Hospital gown sucked. _And since when it had collar?_ Sakura felt her body yanked to the side.

"I really, _really_ hate you at the moment. _My. Beloved. Apprentice_," Tsunade gritted her perfect teeth, smiling deadly at every syllable spoken.

Sakura's eyebrows made a mad dance and an odd smile surfaced on her rosy lips. "I loved you too, shishou," Sakura said with such conviction that her eyes sparkled at the sun reflection on her cheek.

"Don't kid with me, brat. Do you think this is funny?" Tsunade gave a feral grin.

Sakura watched her long lost mentor before this time, examining the jagged lines on those calloused hands. She really, really despised her hand at the moment. Her infatuation with her outer organ became almost unhealthy. Sakura felt what can be considered as the beginning stage of her daily migraine. First stage was always helpful. Always. The throbbing sensation in her head. Oh yeah, it feed on her emotion. First stage, and she could hear her own beating heart. First thing first; she really, _really_ wanted to break something in that so called cozy hospital room.

Bed might be good. Sakura caressed the wooden side of her bed. Yes yes, easy to break. _Damnit_. It was as if she was a trauma, schizophrenia patient in some mental institution ward. It was maddening. Sakura shook herself inwardly. _Am I going crazy?_ Her breathing came in and out harsher than she intended. She needed Ino. The blond would know what to do. Sakura needed her more than she realized.

_Breathe in, breathe out. Inhale, exhale. Slowly, slowly._ Sakura closed her eyes, balancing herself; and when she saw the light again, earthy brown glowing orbs were focusing its gaze on her without rest.

Knowledge. Sorrow. Power. Empathy. Wisdom. Remorse.

Those earthy brown orbs of Tsunade told Sakura so; each cycle without fail. Sakura own mind was spinning and her headache only worsened. She needed to get out from here. Fuck pride and self preservation. Why should she care anyway? It did not make things better for her in any means possible.

_**I like her.**_

_Shut it, Bunny._

She took a deep breath; looking deep into her mentor's eyes.

"Start talking."

**000**

"How much do you know about him?" Gaara questioned.

"Who?"

"Yakushi."

Shikamaru stroke his imagination beard. "Not much, I'm afraid." His eyes was sweeping below at the main arena. "Just that he was an offspring from some dead med-nin in the field." His eyes narrowed. "Then again, everything about him scream shady, eh?"

"Inconspicuous."

Shikamaru nodded thoughtfully.

"As much as I want to confront him, we have better things to do," Shikamaru concluded, knowing the redhead shared his sentiment.

Shino and Zaku were trading blows. The missing hand did not lessen Zaku's hot-headed punches. Repeated punches, with a single hand. The winner was apparent. There was nothing else left.

Genma raised his hand.

Medics scrambled into the arena.

There was murmurs around them, but Shikamaru did not seem to care. His eyes were still fixated to the chocolate ground. Thinking.

"Butterfly is going to dissipate."

"Yes," Shikamaru responded.

"Think you're going to do something about that?" Gaara glanced at pineapple's remaining team-mate.

Shikamaru gave an actual nod. "I think so."

He walked off to Akimichi junior, whispering to his ear. At first his team-mate was looking at him like he was crazy, but nodded resolutely at the equally insane offering.

Not a seven minutes later, double knock-out surfaced on the gigantic notice board.

_To be continued in chapter 4..._

* * *

Notes:

Chou: Butterfly. Hinted to Akimichi Chouji.

* * *

I was going to post this much later on after my studies. Guess my hands were itching to write.

Review please.


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